Cabinet for a water cooler

ABSTRACT

A water cooler is provided having a cabinet including a front vertical panel through which dispensing faucets extend and which support a drip trough spaced below the faucets and extending outwardly a sufficient distance to catch any water dripping from them. A front door is provided hingedly attached to the cabinet to move from an open position permitting access to the faucets to a closed position generally overlying the front panel. The inner face of the door supports horizontal storage shelves extending toward the panel to utilize the space therebetween for storage. The shelves in the space between the faucet and the drip trough extend rearwardly a distance short of interfering with water dripping from the faucets so that articles stored on these shelves will be kept in a position free of intercepting any of the occasional drips which may occur.

United States Patent 1 Sholtes [73] Assignee: Westinghouse Electric Corporation,

Pittsburgh, Pa.

[22] Filed: Jan. 5, 1973 [21] Appl. No.: 321,404

[52] US. Cl. 312/236 [51] Int. Cl A47b 77/08 [58] Field of Search 312/138 A, 236; 62/397, 62/389, 448; 165/77 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,081,151 12/1913 Ritter 312/229X 1,240,997 9/1917 Moore 312/236 X 2,000,981 5/1935 Parsons 312/236 X 2,031,283 2/1936 Scofield 312/229 2,047,996 7/1936 Crosley et a1 312/236 X 2,287,657 6/1942 Wisckol 312/228 2,515,459 7/1950. Martin et a1... 312/228 3,091,946 6/1963 Kesling 312/138 A 1 1 Feb. 25, 1975,

Primary Examiner-Paul R. Gilliam Assistant Examiner-Carl F. Pieruszka Attorney, Agent, or Firm-F. A. Winans s7 ABSTRACT A water cooler is provided having a cabinet including a front vertical panel through which dispensing faucets extend and which support a drip trough spaced below the faucets and extending outwardly a sufficient distance to catch any water dripping from them. A front door is provided hingedly attached to the cabinet to move from an open position permitting access to the faucets to a closed position generally overlying the front panel. The inner face of the door supports horizontal storage shelves extending toward the panel to utilize the space therebetween for storage. The shelves in the space between the faucet and the drip trough extend rearwar'dly a distance short of interfering with water dripping from the faucets so that articles stored on these shelves will be kept in a position free of inter- I cepting any of the occasional drips which may occur.

10Claims, 3 Drawing Figures PATENTEDFEB 2 5 i975 sum 2 or 3 FIG. 2.

1 CABINET FOR A WATERCOOLER BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention This invention relates to dispensers such as bottled water coolers and more particularly to cabinet structure for such coolers providing storage space for various articles (i.e., powdered concentrate, cups, sugar, etc.) generally associated with such dispensers.

2. Description of the Prior Art Water dispensers, especially the type associated with the present invention capable of dispensing both chilled and heated water, are useful in that they provide water at a proper temperature for a myriad of instant reconstituted beverages, such as coffee, tea, soup, bouillon, powdered citrus drinks, powdered hot chocolate, etc., which, for convenience, are generally stored adjacent the dispenser.

Previously, it has been common to provide a second cabinet which, exteriorly, was similar in size and shape to the cabinet housing the dispenser but interiorly provided storage shelves (including shelves on the inner door face) for such concentrates, along with cups, stirring sticks, sugar and whatever other accessories might be required. This arrangement occupied twice the floor space of the single dispenser cabinet in addition to a substantial cost for the additional cabinet.

Also, it has been both aesthetically and practically desirable to mount the faucets on a front panel which is recessed sonewhat from the forwardly projecting periphery of the cabinet sidewalls and top. Thus, in addition to giving the illusion ofa shadow box effect, the recess mounting provided protection for the faucets in that they were generally recessed within the plane defined by the outer edge of the cabinet and thus less likely to be knocked or snagged.

SUMMARY OF .THE INVENTION The present invention provides a door hingedly supported on the cabinet for covering therecessed front panel and faucets and having, on its inner face, storage space defined by horizontal shelvesTo take advantage of the most usable storage space, a number of shelves project rearwardly intothe space provided by the recess to generally adjacent the front panel; however, to

protect the shelves or anything stored thereon from water dripping from the faucets, no shelf extends so as to intercept the normal drip path between the faucets and the drip trough.

DRAWING DESCRIPTIONS DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS This invention is directed to a cabinet for a bottled water cooler of the type more particularly shown and described in US. Pat. No. 3,363,432 having a common assignee. Thus, although only the cabinet is disclosed in this present invention, it is to be understood that such cabinet houses. internal components such as therein described. With this in mind, reference is made to FIG. 1 which shows the water cooler 10 of the present invention having a cabinetwhich includes an outer 'wrapper'comprising a top 11, for supporting an infront panel. The leg 15b of the L-shape thus provides a rearwardly extending offset for recessing the front face of the panel further within the outer peripheral edge of the wrapper.

Two faucet means 16 (as the water cooler also includes the capability to provide heated water) project forwardly of the panel 14 in generally the upper half and provide a downwardly directed outlet. A drip trough 17 is removably supported on the panel 14 in generally the lower half and projects forwardly a distance sufficient to catch any drips from the faucets. The faucets 16 and drip trough 17 are vertically spaced a sufficient distance so that containers such as insulated bottles, coffeepots, and other generally taller containers can be placed under the faucets 16 without obstruction from the trough.

A door 18 is hingedly mounted on the wrapper as by a top hinge 19 and a bottom pin 20 (see FIG. 3). The door is generally contiguous with the periphery of the outer wrapper and in a closed position provides a planar unobtrusive front to the cabinet.

The door 18 is preferably formed of a sheet panel having a peripheral rearwardly facing flange 21 and terminating in a return flange 22 giving the sheet panel additional strength. As is seen in FIG. 1, the return flange 22 supports horizontal shelves 23 (as by screws) also formed of sheet metal having appropriate wall, structure 24 to storingly accommodate and retain various of the items (cups, concentrates, etc.) associated with the cooler.

Referring now to FIGS. 2 and 3, it is seen that the uppermost and lowermost shelves 23a and 23b extend rearwardly (when the door is closed) a sufficient distance such that they reside within the recess or offset space provided by the offset of the front panel and thus utilize, to a great extent, the available space. However, it is emphasized that the shelf structure 23c and 23d supported by the door at an elevation between the faucets and the drip trough have a much shorter rearwardly extending length so that they terminate at a position prior to intercepting the plane defined by the faucet outlets and the drip trough. This is to permit an unimpeded drip path from the faucets to the trough.

It is evident that the intermediate shelves (i.e., those shelves between the faucets and the trough) could be contoured so as to extend rearwardly at selected portions, with the only criteria being that the actual normal drip path from each faucet to the trough is unimpeded by any intermediate shelf or door structure. However, for the usable shelf space gained by such a contour, and the discontinuous appearance it provides, the straight walled shelves, as disclosed, are preferable. Further, doors having the preferable shelf construction shown eonldthen beiiised interehangeably onaidispenserhalv-v ing either one or two faucets;

The door is equipped with 7 rear face to properly position the door in ,theclosed p0:

What is claimedisz' 4 V K 1. Cabinet construction'fora water cooler V includinga housing having a front panel andfliquid dis pensing faucet extending forwardiy of said frontpanel;

of the door for a rubberbumper on its sition, andiheld therebya rnagneticilatchx'A handle. member is provided on theexterior side I lease of manipulation of the door.

said front panel supporting a drip trough directly below I shelves supported thereon'and extending generally hot-1 izontally toward said front panel when said door is in r aclosed positionratleast one ofsaid'pluralityofshelves l, disposed so as'to be atia'n vint e'rniediate height relative to said faucet and'said drip trough, and of saidshelves i disposed at said intermediate height being offsuffi: P

"si ently limiteddepthin afront to" rear direction so as not to interfere withthc normal drip path from said fan i 1 eat to saidtroughso that any drippage ocoarringwhen. said door is closed does not contact any of said shelves. I

'2. Cabinet construction'according to claim] wherein at lcastnnotlier of: said plurality of shelves is disposed 7 depth of said any one of said shelvesloeatedxat said in-- I ftermediate' height being siibstantially equal to said shoulder, and said depth of said other of said shelves extendingio generallyradjacent said recessed twang on said door at a height other than ,intcrrnediate 'said' faucet means'and said'drip trnuglnsaid at least another V of said plurality oi shelves having a sufficient'depthin panel,

spanner constrnctionadcordingtocl aim 3wherein said at least anotherlof saidshelves includes afirst'shelf V p positioned at ahcightahove said faucet and asecon'd 4 shclf positioncd' at aiheight belowsaid drip'trot gh; ,i f v V a fromt-tosrcarfdircetion soas to terminate substantially adjacent saidfr'ont panel wh cn said door in a closed position andprovide arclativelydcep shelf with respect to any of said shelves disposed at' said intermediate f: I

' V 3. Cabinetconstraction acoordingfto claim Z herein' a said fron t panel defines aplanarportioir generally re- I tossed from the frontlperipheraledgieof saidfhousingfi and/said doorstructure includes,rearwardlv'turned pe x ripheral shoulder terminating in a fron-t-to rear direC-- tion generallyadjaoent said peripheral edgewwhensaid door 'is elosed, said atileast'onewof saidpiurality of shelveshaving a front-to-rear depth substantially equal j a to said shoulder, and said anotherof said shelvesthavingw' 3 a front-twrearzdepth" extending substantiailybetween said door and saidrec'essed planarvportion ofsaid front" a j 5. In a Bottle water cooler; the combination ofz' o aoahinet constructionand aiside-swinging front door therefonsaid doorwhen closed forming a limited 1 i depth ehamber enelosed alongat leastthe top and the facing {portions of side edges thereofgbetween 'saidldoor and 'caijinet'.

said jc hamber including faueet means atflan upper level and adriptraugh at-a relatively lower level,

storage shelvesoarriedonjthinner' face of said door. 7 anyone of said shelveslocatedataiheight int erjme- V V diate said faucetmeans andsaid rtroughflbeing of r sufficiently limited depth in a front-to-rearfdired 7 tion'astlo not be interposed in the path of drippage 4 between said'fanct meanszandsaid troughwwhen I said door iscl osed. I

6. Structure according tojelaimes wherein any other;

of said storage shelves {located at a'height other than in+ v termediate said faucetmeans and said 'tmngh beingof i v sufficientdepthin a front tosreardirection toterrninate:

nerally adjacent Said faCing l ortionl of lsaid cabinet '7.'S;t-ructureaccording to'claim GWhefreinthe fac'ing a I portion of said cabinetis generallyflreeessed from a- [front peripheral edge of said crabinetand said'doorim cludes a peripheral rearwardlyjextenjding shoulder terminatingin a front-torearjdirectiongenerallyadjacent said peripheral edge when ,s'aidfdoor isflclosed said portion ofsaid Cabinet. f i

8'. Structure according to; claini '7 wherein: said any, 1

other of said shelves memes afiirstlshelf positioned-at,

sitioned at a height below said trough -j 10. A bottle water'dispenser camp? j' cabinet; recessed, :rearwardly from said, generally i lvertic al plane, s s faucet means for I projectingforwardlyfromjsaidfront panel a one trough an the front fa'ce lof said: 'f r ontypanel,

downwardly froin fl said 1 faucet mean.

4 r and'spa'eedi and, i

a height abovesaid'faucet means and asecond shelf po- Structure"accordingto claim,SWliereinsaidfaucet" V nieans'vandsaidtroughare mountedonsaid faeingpo'rtion'of said ealainet j I Cabinetincludingatopfwalland apair ofopposite, "generally vertieallyYdisposed side xwalls sfidtoir;

"and siderwallsihaving forwardlysfacingedges lying i M in agenerallyvertioalplane a frontpanel for'said f dispensingiwaterfs d'i f at'ieet meansi 7 a door forthe front faee of said door being hinged forf ide 'swingingr movement and in. on it inner face thereof i 

1. Cabinet construction for a water cooler apparatus including a housing having a front panel and liquid dispensing faucet extending forwardly of said front panel, said front panel supporting a drip trough directly below said faucet for catching and retaining liquid dripping from said faucet, a door structure hingedly supported for movement between an open position permitting access to said faucet and a closed position generally covering said front panel and concealing said faucet, said door structure having an inner face with a plurality of shelves supported thereon and extending generally horizontally toward said front panel when said door is in a closed position, at least one of said plurality of shelves disposed so as to be at an intermediate height relative to said faucet and said drip trough, and of said shelves disposed at said intermediate height being of sufficiently limited depth in a front to rear direction so as not to interfere with the normal drip path from said faucet to said trough so that any drippage occurring when said door is closed does not contact any of said shelves.
 2. Cabinet construction according to claim 1 wherein at least another of said plurality of shelves is disposed on said door at a height other than intermediate said faucet means and said drip trough, said at least another of said plurality of shelves having a sufficient depth in a front-to-rear direction so as to terminate substantially adjacent said front panel when said door is in a closed position and provide a relatively deep shelf with respect to any of said shelves disposed at said intermediate height.
 3. Cabinet construction according to claim 2 wherein said front panel defines a planar portion generally recessed from the front peripheral edge of said housing and said door structure includes rearwardly turned peripheral shoulder terminating in a front-to-rear direction generally adjacent said peripheral edge when said door is closed, said at least one of said plurality of shelves having a front-to-rear depth substantially equal to said shoulder, and said another of said shelves having a front-to-rear depth extending substantially between said door and said recessed planar portion of said front panel.
 4. Cabinet construction according to claim 3 wherein said at least another of said shelves includes a first shelf positioned at a height above said faucet and a second shelf positioned at a height below said drip trough.
 5. In a bottle water cooler, the combination of: a cabinet construction and a side-swinging front door therefor, said door when closed forming a limited depth chamber enclosed along at least the top and side edges thereof between the facing portions of said door and cabinet, said chamber including faucet means at an upper level and a drip trough at a relatively lower level, storage shelves carried on the inner face of said door, any one of said shelves located at a height intermediate said faucet means and said trough being of sufficiently limited depth in a front-to-rear direction as to not be interposed in the path of drippage between said faucet means and said trough when said door is closed.
 6. Structure according to claim 5 wherein any other of said storage shelves located at a height other than intermediate said faucet means and said trough being of sufficient depth in a front-to-rear direction to terminate generally adjacent said facing portion of said cabinet.
 7. Structure according to claim 6 wherein the facing portion of said cabinet is generally recessed from a front peripheral edge of said cabinet and said door includes a peripheral Rearwardly extending shoulder terminating in a front-to-rear direction generally adjacent said peripheral edge when said door is closed, said depth of said any one of said shelves located at said intermediate height being substantially equal to said shoulder, and said depth of said other of said shelves extending to generally adjacent said recessed facing portion of said cabinet.
 8. Structure according to claim 7 wherein said any other of said shelves includes a first shelf positioned at a height above said faucet means and a second shelf positioned at a height below said trough.
 9. Structure according to claim 8 wherein said faucet means and said trough are mounted on said facing portion of said cabinet.
 10. A bottle water dispenser comprising: a cabinet including a top wall and a pair of opposite, generally vertically disposed side walls, said top and side walls having forwardly facing edges lying in a generally vertical plane, a front panel for said cabinet recessed rearwardly from said generally vertical plane, faucet means for dispensing water, said faucet means projecting forwardly from said front panel, a drip trough on the front face of said front panel, and spaced downwardly from said faucet means; and, a door for the front face of said cabinet, said door being hinged for side swinging movement and including storage means on its inner face thereof. 